Bart D. Ehrman

American biblical scholar · United States · On the map · Academics · Born 1955 · age 71

Bart Denton Ehrman is an American biblical scholar whose research focuses on the textual criticism of the New Testament, the historical Jesus, and the origins and development of early Christianity. He is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Bart D. Ehrman is read about 577 times a day, in 28 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 10 November 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 112 days, one point a day.

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A life in dates

2018“Christianity may well have succeeded even if Constantine had not converted.”In their wordsIntroductionRead the whole statement

Guggenheim FellowshipAward2014“What can we say about how Jesus most likely understood himself? Did he call himself the messiah? If so, what did he mean by it? And did he call himself God?”In their wordsCh. 3: 'Did Jesus Think He Was God?'Read the whole statement

Emperor Has No Clothes AwardAward2012“There are several points on which virtually all scholars of antiquity agree.”In their wordsCh. 1: 'An Introduction to the Mythical View of Jesus'Read the whole statement

2011“There were numerous ways to lie in and through literature in antiquity, and some Christians took advantage of the full panoply in their efforts to promote their view of the faith.”In their wordsForged (2011)Read the whole statement

2009“I am not saying that churches should be mini-universities where pastors function as professors from the pulpit.”In their wordsJesus, Interrupted (2009)Read the whole statement

“Miracles, by our very definition of the term, are virtually impossible events.”In their wordsJesus, Interrupted (2009)Read the whole statement

1955Born5 October 1955

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In their own words 4

Bart D. Ehrman

4 statements, newest first

The very idea that society should serve the poor, the sick, and the marginalized became a distinctively Christian concern.
2018 · Introduction, Own words
Even though Jesus may be the only miracleworking Son of God that people know about today, there were lots of people like this in the ancient world.
2014 · Ch. 1: 'Divine Humans in Ancient Greece and Rome', Own words
A storyteller who made up an account about Jesus in order to prove a point may well have known that he was passing off a fiction as a historical event.
2011 · Forged (2011), Own words

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Awards

Guggenheim Fellowship2018

Emperor Has No Clothes Award2014

About this person

He is the author or editor of more than 30 books, including six New York Times bestsellers, and has created nine lecture series with The Great Courses. Ehrman also runs a membership blog whose proceeds support charities that address hunger and homelessness. As of March 2025, the blog had reportedly raised more than $3 million.

Country

United States